Cuba_NP1 Can_VM Service_NN1 U.S._NP1 Tourists_NN2 If_CS Ban_NN1 Lifted_VVD ,_, Official_NN1 Says_VVZ Cuba_NP1 's_GE tourism_NN1 industry_NN1 will_VM have_VHI enough_DD capacity_NN1 for_IF the_AT surge_NN1 of_IO American_JJ travelers_NN2 expected_VVN should_VM U.S._NP1 lawmakers_NN2 lift_VV0 restrictions_NN2 on_II visits_NN2 to_II the_AT island_NN1 ,_, said_VVD Miguel_NP1 Figueras_NP2 ,_, an_AT1 adviser_NN1 at_II Cuba_NP1 's_GE tourism_NN1 ministry_NN1 ._. 
Cuba_NP1 agrees_VVZ with_IW an_AT1 estimate_NN1 by_II the_AT American_JJ Society_NN1 of_IO Travel_NN1 Agents_NN2 that_CST 835,000_MC U.S._NP1 tourists_NN2 a_AT1 year_NNT1 ,_, excluding_VVG cruise_NN1 ships_NN2 or_CC Cuban-American_JJ family_NN1 visitors_NN2 ,_, would_VM come_VVI after_II an_AT1 end_NN1 to_II the_AT travel_NN1 ban_NN1 ,_, Figueras_NP2 said_VVD ._. 
Cuba_NP1 aims_VVZ to_TO build_VVI 30_MC new_JJ hotels_NN2 with_IW 10,000_MC rooms_NN2 and_CC 10_MC golf_NN1 courses_NN2 by_II 2014_MC without_IW counting_VVG on_II changes_NN2 in_II U.S._NP1 policy_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" The_AT Americans_NN2 are_VBR welcome_JJ here_RL ,_, "_" Figueras_NP2 said_VVD in_II an_AT1 interview_NN1 yesterday_RT in_II Havana_NP1 's_GE historic_JJ Hotel_NN1 Nacional_FW ._. 
"_" You_PPY have_VH0 to_TO be_VBI prepared_VVN for_IF that_DD1 ,_, but_CCB you_PPY ca_VM n't_XX make_VVI your_APPGE development_NN1 plans_NN2 depend_VV0 on_II whether_CSW this_DD1 happens_VVZ ._. "_" 
U.S._NP1 lawmakers_NN2 may_VM take_VVI up_RP scrapping_VVG the_AT ban_NN1 on_II travel_NN1 to_II the_AT communist_JJ island_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ has_VHZ been_VBN under_II a_AT1 U.S._NP1 trade_NN1 embargo_NN1 for_IF almost_RR five_MC decades_NNT2 ._. 
President_NNB Barack_NP1 Obama_NP1 in_II April_NPM1 loosened_VVD travel_NN1 restrictions_NN2 for_IF Cuban-Americans_NN2 visiting_VVG family_NN1 members_NN2 and_CC lifted_VVD caps_NN2 on_II money_NN1 Cuban-Americans_NN2 may_VM send_VVI relatives_NN2 there_RL ._. 
He_PPHS1 maintained_VVD the_AT embargo_NN1 ._. 
The_AT proposal_NN1 has_VHZ support_NN1 to_TO pass_VVI because_CS Obama_NP1 and_CC the_AT U.S._NP1 business_NN1 community_NN1 favor_VV0 it_PPH1 ,_, said_VVD Representative_JJ Rosa_NP1 DeLauro_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 Connecticut_NP1 Democrat_NN1 who_PNQS co-sponsored_VVD the_AT bill._NNU 'Brand_VV0 New_JJ Environment'_NP1 "_" This_DD1 issue_NN1 is_VBZ being_VBG discussed_VVN in_II an_AT1 absolutely_RR brand_JJ21 new_JJ22 environment_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ is_VBZ drawing_VVG support_NN1 that_CST it_PPH1 has_VHZ lacked_VVN in_II the_AT past_NN1 ,_, "_" DeLauro_NP1 said_VVD in_II an_AT1 interview_NN1 ._. 
An_AT1 end_NN1 to_II the_AT travel_NN1 ban_NN1 might_VM erode_VVI other_JJ aspects_NN2 of_IO the_AT embargo_NN1 such_II21 as_II22 the_AT ban_NN1 on_II bank_NN1 relations_NN2 ,_, which_DDQ keeps_VVZ travelers_NN2 from_II using_VVG U.S._NP1 credit_NN1 or_CC debit_VV0 cards_NN2 in_II Cuba_NP1 ,_, Figueras_NP2 said_VVD ._. 
The_AT number_NN1 of_IO passengers_NN2 flying_VVG to_II Cuba_NP1 from_II the_AT U.S._NP1 doubled_VVD in_II May_NPM1 to_II about_RG 20,000_MC from_II a_AT1 year_NNT1 earlier_RRR after_II Obama_NP1 announced_VVD changes_NN2 to_II the_AT rules_NN2 applied_VVN to_II Cuban-Americans_NN2 ,_, Figueras_NP2 said_VVD ._. 
Still_RR ,_, the_AT global_JJ economic_JJ crisis_NN1 is_VBZ cutting_VVG total_JJ tourism_NN1 revenue_NN1 as_CSA visitors_NN2 spend_VV0 less_DAR money_NN1 and_CC fewer_DAR days_NNT2 on_II the_AT island_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
Revenue_NN1 dropped_VVD 14_MC percent_NNU in_II the_AT first_MD quarter_NN1 from_II the_AT same_DA period_NN1 in_II 2008_MC ,_, while_CS the_AT number_NN1 of_IO visitors_NN2 rose_VVD 2_MC percent_NNU to_II 809,937_MC ,_, according_II21 to_II22 the_AT National_JJ Statistics_NN Office_NN1 ._. 
The_AT tourism_NN1 sector_NN1 represents_VVZ 7_MC percent_NNU of_IO gross_JJ domestic_JJ product_NN1 ,_, Figueras_NP2 said_VVD ._. 
Revenue_NN1 increased_VVD 11_MC percent_NNU to_II 1.67_MC billion_NNO convertible_JJ pesos_NNU2 (_( $1.8_NNU billion_NNO )_) last_MD year_NNT1 from_II 2008_MC ._. 
U.S._NP1 Companies_NN2 "_" Every_AT1 month_NNT1 an_AT1 American_JJ company_NN1 comes_VVZ ,_, "_" Figueras_NP2 said_VVD ,_, citing_VVG talks_NN2 with_IW U.S._NP1 companies_NN2 about_II hotel_NN1 and_CC golf_NN1 course_NN1 projects_VVZ that_CST might_VM be_VBI possible_JJ should_VM the_AT embargo_NN1 end_VVI ._. 
"_" The_AT Americans_NN2 are_VBR missing_VVG out_RP ,_, "_" said_VVD Juliette_NP1 Sibson_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 British_JJ tourist_NN1 sipping_VVG frozen_JJ daiquiris_NN1 at_II El_NP1 Floridita_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 bar_NN1 in_II central_JJ Havana_NP1 made_VVD famous_JJ by_II Ernest_NP1 Hemingway_NP1 ._. 
"_" Cuba_NP1 is_VBZ stunning_JJ ._. 
The_AT history_NN1 is_VBZ amazing_JJ ._. "_" 
Claudia_NP1 ,_, 22_MC ,_, a_AT1 Cuban_JJ tour_NN1 guide_NN1 who_PNQS declined_VVD to_TO give_VVI her_APPGE last_MD name_NN1 ,_, said_VVD she_PPHS1 hoped_VVD the_AT U.S._NP1 will_VM build_VVI on_II Obama_NP1 's_GE recent_JJ changes_NN2 for_IF Cuban-Americans_NN2 by_II allowing_VVG all_DB Americans_NN2 to_TO visit_VVI ._. 
"_" It_PPH1 would_VM be_VBI good_JJ because_CS it_PPH1 would_VM bring_VVI more_DAR tourists_NN2 ,_, "_" she_PPHS1 said_VVD in_II Havana_NP1 's_GE Parque_JJ Central_JJ square_NN1 ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 have_VH0 family_NN1 in_II Miami_NP1 and_CC they_PPHS2 're_VBR coming_VVG more_RRR ._. "_" 
If_CS U.S._NP1 travel_NN1 restrictions_NN2 were_VBDR lifted_VVN ,_, the_AT number_NN1 of_IO American_JJ visitors_NN2 would_VM more_RRR than_CSN triple_JJ from_II 171,000_MC in_II 2005_MC to_II between_II 554,000_MC and_CC 1.1_MC million_NNO ,_, according_II21 to_II22 the_AT U.S._NP1 International_JJ Trade_NN1 Commission_NN1 ._. 
Canadian_JJ Tourists_NN2 Last_MD year_NNT1 ,_, Canadians_NN2 accounted_VVN for_IF 818,246_MC of_IO the_AT 2.3_MC million_NNO tourists_NN2 that_CST visited_VVD the_AT island_NN1 ,_, the_AT Cuban_JJ statistics_NN agency_NN1 said_VVD ._. 
The_AT Dominican_JJ Republic_NN1 ,_, another_DD1 Caribbean_JJ resort_NN1 destination_NN1 ,_, housed_VVD 4.4_MC million_NNO tourists_NN2 in_RP about_RG 60,000_MC hotel_NN1 rooms_NN2 in_II 2006_MC ,_, according_II21 to_II22 its_APPGE tourism_NN1 ministry_NN1 Web_NN1 site_NN1 ._. 
Many_DA2 Americans_NN2 who_PNQS visit_VV0 Cuba_NP1 arrive_VV0 on_II flights_NN2 from_II Canada_NP1 or_CC Mexico_NP1 and_CC ask_VV0 Cuban_JJ customs_NN2 officials_NN2 not_XX to_TO stamp_VVI their_APPGE passports_NN2 to_TO avoid_VVI fines_NN2 for_IF violating_VVG the_AT travel_NN1 ban_NN1 ._. 
Cuba_NP1 has_VHZ about_RG 48,000_MC hotel_NN1 rooms_NN2 ,_, Figueras_NP2 said_VVD ._. 
There_EX are_VBR 15_MC hotels_NN2 under_II joint_JJ venture_NN1 contracts_NN2 with_IW foreign_JJ companies_NN2 ,_, and_CC 49_MC hotels_NN2 managed_VVN by_II international_JJ partners_NN2 ._. 
The_AT foreign_JJ companies_NN2 include_VV0 Sol_NP1 Melia_NP1 SA_NP1 ,_, the_AT world_NN1 's_GE largest_JJT resort_NN1 operator_NN1 ,_, and_CC Accor_NP1 SA_NP1 ,_, Europe_NP1 's_GE largest_JJT hotel_NN1 company_NN1 ._. 
Eusebio_NP1 Mujal-Leon_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 professor_NN1 of_IO Cuban_JJ studies_NN2 at_II Georgetown_NP1 University_NN1 ,_, said_VVD the_AT Cuban_JJ government_NN1 might_VM use_VVI visas_NN2 to_TO control_VVI the_AT flow_NN1 of_IO U.S._NP1 tourists_NN2 because_CS it_PPH1 lacks_VVZ sufficient_JJ hotel_NN1 capacity_NN1 to_TO house_VVI them_PPHO2 ._. 
"_" They_PPHS2 're_VBR not_XX going_VVGK to_TO have_VHI massive_JJ entry_NN1 ,_, "_" Mujal-Leon_NP1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" They_PPHS2 do_VD0 n't_XX have_VHI the_AT infrastructure_NN1 for_IF it_PPH1 ._. "_" 
Figueras_NN2 said_VVD there_EX were_VBDR no_AT plans_NN2 to_TO limit_VVI the_AT number_NN1 of_IO Americans_NN2 who_PNQS can_VM visit_VVI Cuba_NP1 ._. 
The_AT number_NN1 of_IO American_JJ visitors_NN2 in_II Cuba_NP1 would_VM increase_VVI slowly_RR if_CS the_AT travel_NN1 ban_NN1 were_VBDR lifted_VVN because_CS it_PPH1 would_VM take_VVI time_NNT1 for_IF U.S._NP1 airlines_NN2 to_TO develop_VVI new_JJ routes_NN2 and_CC for_IF travel_NN1 agencies_NN2 to_TO develop_VVI tourist_NN1 packages_NN2 for_IF the_AT island_NN1 ,_, Figueras_NP2 said_VVD ._. 
"_" This_DD1 is_VBZ n't_XX an_AT1 American_JJ tsunami_NN2 that_CST would_VM happen_VVI overnight_RT ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" It_PPH1 takes_VVZ time_NNT1 ._. "_" 
